4 ms·

I wonder whether this device will be on the mainline kernel. The obsolescence for Fairphone 2 wasn't hardware, it was software. This seems to be the major issue

I wonder whether this device will be on the mainline kernel. The obsolescence for Fairphone 2 wasn't hardware, it was software. This seems to be the major issue keeping smartphones running for a long time today, the only equivalent hardware issue on timescale and importance is replacement of the battery. Being able to repair the rest of the hardware is a good next step, but is futile if your security and software updates rely on the chip manufacturer, and get abandoned within 2 years.

cm-t 7y ago
> it was software Well, it depends on which OS, it might not be the case for android, but I think it can receive all the lastest updates on Ubutnu Touch (See the lastest release bloc on https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/FP2 https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/FP2 ) Edit: for the android part: >A Fairphone representative also told Android Authority that the Fairphone 3 was “most likely” to receive Android 10. In fact, the representative noted that the phone will receive five years of software support. https://www.androidauthority.com/fairphone-3-1014831/ https://www.androidauthority.com/fairphone-3-1014831/
- Fnoord 7y ago
  Firmware. Qualcomm no longer provides updates for Snapdragon 801. For quite some while, if I may add.
bestouff 7y ago
I would really love a phone with a fully upstreamed kernel and manufacturer-supported LineageOS. Sadly there's nothing even remotely equivalent on the market today.
- h4waii 7y ago
  Is this even possible? LineageOS would have to be forked by the manufacturer to be supported by them. What would be nice is being able to pay for LineageOS to be supported on specific devices. If enough people pay $1/month or something else inconsequential individually, it should be possible to compensate the volunteers who currently work on device support.
  - rlpb 7y ago
    > LineageOS would have to be forked by the manufacturer to be supported by them. LineageOS accept patches, do they not?
    - h4waii 7y ago
      In a word, yes. In many words, it can be difficult to get a patch merged (or even reviewed) as each device might be maintained by specific (or group of) person(s) who may or may not want to take patches from other individuals or organizations. Patches to Base? I have no idea, but I suspect it would be easier provided it lines up with their Charter.
Majestic121 7y ago
Software may be a bit delayed, but if you care mostly about security and less about having the absolute latest Android version (with some nice to have functionnalities I suppose, but I don't miss them so far), it's very good. My fairphone 2 is running Android 7, started at 5 I think, and the latest security update was this month [1]. And those security updates are pretty regular. [1] https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/208342503-Fairphone-OS-for-Fairphone-2-Release-Notes https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/208342503-Fa...
- rlpb 7y ago
  > the latest security update was this month That doesn't include kernel security updates though, does it? What does "Vendor security patch level" say? Isn't that still stuck on 1 April 2018?
  - Vinnl 7y ago
    I only see "Android security patch level", which says March 2019 for me: https://i.imgur.com/rdEsUna.png https://i.imgur.com/rdEsUna.png (I'm on Fairphone Open though - I saw their regular OS has had an update a few days ago.)
    - rlpb 7y ago
      > "Android security patch level", which says March 2019 On LineageOS, at least, "Android security patch level" seems to be the OS only and doesn't include the kernel or firmware blobs (eg. the radio stack).
      - Vinnl 7y ago
        I'm willing to check the Vendor security patch level for you, then, but you'd have to tell me where to find it - it's not on that screen.
        rlpb 7y ago
        I understand but I don't know how. I'm just doubting that the kernel has been updated for security at all. As others have said, apparently we're dependent on Qualcomm for updates and they no longer release any.
ryukafalz 7y ago
I'm cautiously optimistic about the Librem 5 and PinePhone in this regard; both should be usable with a mainline kernel. If we could get hardware like that ethically sourced (like with the Fairphone) and running entirely or almost entirely free software (like with the Librem 5)... well, we'd be in a pretty good spot I think.
- Brakenshire 7y ago
  It’s a pity all these companies aren’t working together. They could definitely make each other’s platforms more viable by pooling scale in one way or another.
  - ryukafalz 7y ago
    Yeah, I think that would be super valuable. Each of them is focusing on a slightly different niche for now though, even if their goals overlap a lot, and I think that's okay! Picking a specific goal and optimizing for that is safer than rocking all the boats at once: https://mcfunley.com/choose-boring-technology https://mcfunley.com/choose-boring-technology
- beatgammit 7y ago
  Afaik, the Librem 5 is mostly open hardware, so I'm sure the folks at Fairphone could make a version of that phone, but manufactured differently. They could keep the same software stack, so the work should be fairly limited to just manufacturing.

cm-t 7y ago

> it was software Well, it depends on which OS, it might not be the case for android, but I think it can receive all the lastest updates on Ubutnu Touch (See the lastest release bloc on https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/FP2 https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/FP2 ) Edit: for the android part: >A Fairphone representative also told Android Authority that the Fairphone 3 was “most likely” to receive Android 10. In fact, the representative noted that the phone will receive five years of software support. https://www.androidauthority.com/fairphone-3-1014831/ https://www.androidauthority.com/fairphone-3-1014831/

Fnoord 7y ago
Firmware. Qualcomm no longer provides updates for Snapdragon 801. For quite some while, if I may add.

bestouff 7y ago

I would really love a phone with a fully upstreamed kernel and manufacturer-supported LineageOS. Sadly there's nothing even remotely equivalent on the market today.

h4waii 7y ago
Is this even possible? LineageOS would have to be forked by the manufacturer to be supported by them. What would be nice is being able to pay for LineageOS to be supported on specific devices. If enough people pay $1/month or something else inconsequential individually, it should be possible to compensate the volunteers who currently work on device support.
- rlpb 7y ago
  > LineageOS would have to be forked by the manufacturer to be supported by them. LineageOS accept patches, do they not?
  - h4waii 7y ago
    In a word, yes. In many words, it can be difficult to get a patch merged (or even reviewed) as each device might be maintained by specific (or group of) person(s) who may or may not want to take patches from other individuals or organizations. Patches to Base? I have no idea, but I suspect it would be easier provided it lines up with their Charter.

Majestic121 7y ago

Software may be a bit delayed, but if you care mostly about security and less about having the absolute latest Android version (with some nice to have functionnalities I suppose, but I don't miss them so far), it's very good. My fairphone 2 is running Android 7, started at 5 I think, and the latest security update was this month [1]. And those security updates are pretty regular. [1] https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/208342503-Fairphone-OS-for-Fairphone-2-Release-Notes https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/208342503-Fa...

rlpb 7y ago
> the latest security update was this month That doesn't include kernel security updates though, does it? What does "Vendor security patch level" say? Isn't that still stuck on 1 April 2018?
- Vinnl 7y ago
  I only see "Android security patch level", which says March 2019 for me: https://i.imgur.com/rdEsUna.png https://i.imgur.com/rdEsUna.png (I'm on Fairphone Open though - I saw their regular OS has had an update a few days ago.)
  - rlpb 7y ago
    > "Android security patch level", which says March 2019 On LineageOS, at least, "Android security patch level" seems to be the OS only and doesn't include the kernel or firmware blobs (eg. the radio stack).
    - Vinnl 7y ago
      I'm willing to check the Vendor security patch level for you, then, but you'd have to tell me where to find it - it's not on that screen.
      - rlpb 7y ago
        I understand but I don't know how. I'm just doubting that the kernel has been updated for security at all. As others have said, apparently we're dependent on Qualcomm for updates and they no longer release any.

ryukafalz 7y ago

I'm cautiously optimistic about the Librem 5 and PinePhone in this regard; both should be usable with a mainline kernel. If we could get hardware like that ethically sourced (like with the Fairphone) and running entirely or almost entirely free software (like with the Librem 5)... well, we'd be in a pretty good spot I think.

Brakenshire 7y ago
It’s a pity all these companies aren’t working together. They could definitely make each other’s platforms more viable by pooling scale in one way or another.
- ryukafalz 7y ago
  Yeah, I think that would be super valuable. Each of them is focusing on a slightly different niche for now though, even if their goals overlap a lot, and I think that's okay! Picking a specific goal and optimizing for that is safer than rocking all the boats at once: https://mcfunley.com/choose-boring-technology https://mcfunley.com/choose-boring-technology
beatgammit 7y ago
Afaik, the Librem 5 is mostly open hardware, so I'm sure the folks at Fairphone could make a version of that phone, but manufactured differently. They could keep the same software stack, so the work should be fairly limited to just manufacturing.